In the industrialized world, Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) cause blindness. Faricimab, launched in the US in January 2022, treats diabetic macular edema and wet age-related macular degeneration. Based on evidence from Systematic reviews, anti-VEGF agents' are advantageous in AMD and DME compared to other therapies.
In a study published in the Medicine (Baltimore), researchers found Faricimab to be significantly advantageous in improving central subfoveal thickness (CST) and reducing injection numbers for DME and AMD patients compared to other anti-VEGF drugs, with high-strength and moderate-strength evidence, respectively.
The review evaluated and compared Faricimab's safety and efficacy against VEGF therapy for neovascular AMD and DME. They conducted a literature search of electronic databases for RCTs of Faricimab for AMD and DME from 2013 to 2023 and used weighted mean differences and risk ratios to combine the studies.
Study results include the following points:
· 4 RCTs with 1678 AMD patients and 3 RCTs with 20 DME patients were included.
· In AMD patients, a significant difference was found in the number of injections between Faricimab and other anti-VEGF therapy with MD −2.42.
· No significant differences were found for change in BVCA, CST , gaining 15 or more letters, or adverse events.
· In DME patients, a significant difference was observed for CST (MD = −22.41) and the number of injections (MD = −0.93).
· No significant differences were found for BVCA change, gaining 15 or more letters, or for adverse events.
The study established a reference for the clinical application of faricimab, which blocks VEGF through Ang-2 and VEGF-A to promote vascular stability. Faricimab's effectiveness in improving anatomical outcomes and extending durability with dosing every 16 weeks addresses the need for durable therapies optimizing real-world outcomes.
Reference:
Li G, Zhu N, Ji A. Comparative efficacy and safety of Faricimab and other anti-VEGF therapy for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 Dec 15;102(50):e36370.